Members Present A. Rao, D. Prasad, C. Fontana, A. Guagliumi,
W. Carr, G. Puerschner, B. Wein, R. Jirsa, T. Sherman, T. Seyed, U. Nwachuku,
J. Fullmer, R. Eldridge, J. Ensign, S. Larocco, D. Burow, R. Pelayo,
S. Judd, C. Schofield-Bodt, P. Holmer, K. Grant, E. Beatty, S. Bochain,
D. Pettigrew, C. Rinehardt, J. Hurlbut, R. Luquis, M. Selvaggio,
P. Major, F.Hatcher, D. Boehnert, L. Prince, A. Vicenzi
Acting Vice President of Academic Affairs Smith
Updates will be provided on current issues, searches and building projects. Questions can be forwarded in advance of the Senate meeting at smith_jp. He will try to make the office more responsive.
Ellen Beatty has been named Assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for Student and Faculty Relations.
Dick Gerber has been named Assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for Planning and Evaluation.
The person to fill the position of Assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for Technology and Budget has not been chosen. It is hoped to have this position filled this year.
The office of Graduate Affairs and Continuing Education is moving to the Wintergreen Building. The Graduate office will return after the two offices are split apart. The Continuing, Education office will move into new offices in the Engleman addition.
The new Physical Plant ground breaking should take place this summer. There is a model on display in the present facilities building. The new construction will also provide approximately 90 new parking spaces.
It is intended that the Faculty members appointed to the new Academic Vice President positions are to be replaced in their original departments. However it was originally planned that the AVP appointments were to be for three years, so the Faculty member could then return to their department. What would the replacements do then if they were hired as full time permanent faculty?
The acting Vice President hopes to aid the University's desire to increase our expectations of the students. This will need to be clearly communicated to the entire community.
The faculty searches are moving ahead well. The Chief Information and Technology Officer search is at the point where files are being read and recommendations are expected within the next six weeks. The search for the Vice President for Administration and Student Affairs has bogged down. It is possible that more candidates are needed. It is also possible that the position may need to be split.
In an ongoing attempt to streamline operations, late course withdrawals will no longer need to be signed by the Academic Vice President or the Dean, only the instructor and the department chair.
The minutes of the January 28th meeting were accepted as amended.
Executive Committee Report
The Executive committee discussed the EdD survey and process. The EC will send a letter to Chancellor Cibes concerning the overall process, especially why faculty have not been involved. The EC asked President Adanti to take no irrevocable action until the EC gets some answers. Likely candidates for the EdD would appear to be Educational Leadership and/or Psychology. President Adanti was receptive to the idea of having a faculty forum on this issue. The chair of the Academic Policy Committee was charged to discuss the relevant issues with Deans Lane and Holley.
The Budget and Planning process needs more faculty involvement prior to the cabinet decisions.
Senate President Report
The Distance Learning Resolution was disapproved by the President. -The Faculty Senate will receive a status report from the ongoing Coopers and Lybrand audit. -There is a shift in the order of implementation of the Master plan. Engleman Hall will now be done after the Facilities building. The design for Engleman hall is not finished so the Facilities building will start first. We anticipate an additional 25 to 28 million dollars as a new allotment for the student center, so it and Engleman will be under construction simultaneously.
The fate of the faculty computers being replaced this semester has not yet been determined. It is anticipated that the faculty will be able to purchase them, and the procedure for that is being sought.
A Senate archive is now being established. The committee consists of
Paul Holmer, Flo Hatcher and Nancy Via. If you know of any appropriate
material please contact Paul Holmer.
Standing Committee Reports
Rules There was an extensive discussion of the proposed change to the Faculty Senate Constitution, one intent of which is increased representation by decreasing the required number of faculty members in A voting unit.
Can a program have representation in the Senate? While this was not discussed in committee, should be noted that all faculty have a "home department".
The proposed structure will increase the available pool of people to serve on committees.
Is 15 the correct number cutoff for determining the number of Senators? It would yield approximately a Senate membership of 45.
Will it be a mess to tally a proportional vote? While it will undoubtedly be more difficult than a show of hands, it should be called for rarely, in a similar way as a roll call vote. However if the idea is deemed more fair than the present system, then the logistics of a rare case should not affect the Senate's decision.
A motion was made and seconded to replace the alternate position to the proposal. Discussion revolved around did the present alternate idea work, and was it necessary. The motion failed by a vote of 13 for and 13 against.
A motion was made and seconded to delete the idea of proportional voting. Discussion followed but the motion failed by voice vote. - A motion was made and seconded to recess. The motion failed by voice vote.
The question was called. The rules committee recommendations, with the accepted amendments, passed by a vote of 18 for and 5 against.
A motion was made and seconded to recess until a special meeting February 18th, at 12 noon. The motion passed by voice vote. RECESS
There was a motion made and seconded that the proposed new constitutional language on proportional voting appear as section "E" of Article IV. The motion passed unanimously. -The Senate's discussion then turned to the Rules Committee recommendations that were circulated with the agenda for the Feb 11 meeting and unapproved minutes of the January 28th meeting.
Recommendation number 2 is to be amended to read "...following a specific plan to be approved by the Senate."
The date in recommendation 4 part a) is to be changed from March 30, 1998 to April 1, 1998.
The ensuing discussion was centered on the question of whether or not the time line for instituting these changes was too rapid. It was decided that the membership of the Senate should inform and encourage our constituents to vote in favor of the proposals.
The question was called and the Rules Committee recommendations passed by a unanimous voice vote.
Elections: spring semester ballots should be in faculty mailboxes monday.
Finance: no report
Personnel Policy Committee: The committee reviewed the Promotion and Tenure document with respect to notifying the office of Personnel Administration.. The first decision was to change Personnel Administration throughout the document to read the Office of Student and University Affairs. But do we need the Office of Student and University Affairs in the middle of the process, is it superfluous? The Personnel Policy Committee and the Promotion and Tenure Committee both support the idea of excising that step from the notification process. The document should also have notification replaced with written notification. There will be a proposal forthcoming.
The committee will also look at the sabbatical leave document as its procedures are similar to the P&T document.
The functioning of the DEC will also be addressed.
Student Policy no report
Academic Policy Committee:
The discussion was centered on the proposed flow chart for the Grade Appeals Process. Does this give too much empowerment to the students? What happens to courses without a department, e.g. Honors or Score courses? Should the student have the right to convene the Grade Appeals Committee? The sense of the discussion was that the Dean may convene the GAC not must.
The inclusion of deadlines in the proposed document are an improvement.
Announcements
The faculty will be able to purchase there old computers. The mechanism for this is uncertain at the moment.
New Business
Faculty Senate Representatives
Budget and Planning: no report
Undergraduate Curriculum Forum (UCF): The committee elected a new chair, Sig Jensen for the remainder of this academic year.
Strategic Plan Advisory Committee (SPAC):There was discussion about how to get the committee into the decision making process before the establishment of goals.
The Meeting was adjourned at 1:55.
Respectfully Submitted,
G. Robert Wein, Secretary